The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-11-01
KNIGHTS IN REVOLT.
Delegates From Thirteen States
Declare War Upon POWderly.
Taking Steps to Leave the Order
and Form a New Organization.


open war with the Executive Board OF the
Knights Of Labor and have issued their
declaration Of Independence. On returning
from the convention about thirty five
delegates, representing thirteen States.
stopped in Chicago and determined to
bring about a reorganization of the
order. They elected a Provisional Committee
Of five members, of which Charles F. Sei5
was made Secretary. A long communca-
ton was drafted at Secretary Seib's office,
and was forwarded in circular form to the
Knights of Labor all over the country. The
following is the communication:
To the Rank and File Of the Order of the
Knights of Labor:
Indignant at the usurpation of power, the
gross violation of the laws of our order, by
those high in authority, disguised with those
whose loyalty to the present ring has been
gained by the pickings they receive as re-
ward for their services; lncensed at the
knees in slavish submission to the most
corrupt, the most hypocrltlcal, the
most autocratic and tyrannical clique
that has ever controlled any labor
organization, we therefore affirm the motto
of our order, that when bad men combine
the good must associate, else they will fall,
one by one, an unpitied sacrifice IN con-
temptible struggle" We assert that the hour
we declare ourselves independent of those who
have abused the confidence reposed in them
by our order.
Our duty to the working men and women
demand that at once reorganize the
order of Knights of Labor ON basis which
will secure the autonomy of the trades and
the sovereignty of the districts in all per-
tanning to their trade and local affairs, and to
prevent it from being used in the future
machine to fill the Golfers of designing and
INSCRIPTIONS men, as it Is by those now In
power We affirm the following to be the
reasons that have compelled this serious &C
ton on our part.
l. The general office has become a luxur-
ious haunt for men whose chief aim is to
benefit self, pecuniarily and otherwise, and
is no longer the Jerusalem of the humble and
honest Knight.
3 There has been for more than a year(be
ginning prior to the Richmond session)an I'M
derstanding which, for lack of better word,
will call conspiracy, for the purpose of
holding the salaried POSITIONS elective and APP
pOintive, in and under the General Assem-
bly,
3. This conspiracy has used the secret
channels and the funds of the order to manu-
facture sentiment for certain members and
against Others Certain persons sometimes
called General Lecturers" General Or
ganiZers. )" General Instructors" and general
many other things, have been paid eXtrava-
CANT sums, both as wages and expenses, when
their chief work was to Elk" certain dis
tricts. The lobbyists of railroad corporations
would turn green with envy did they know
the Superlative excellence attained by these
blOOdsuckerS of the Knights of Labor.
4. Organizers commissions have been re-
fused to members who were known to dis
agree with the methods of the ring, though
the applications were Endorsed by the dis
trict assembly to which applicants belonged,
and commissions have been recalled because
of the refusal of the holders to fall down and
worship the powers that be.
5. District and local assemblies have been
C11C Ha6 orr we'd of
in the General Assembly because they were
known as opponents to the policy of the con-
SpiratorS-
Conspiracies have been Matched against
dissenting members by the aid of corrupt
tools in the district assemblies or local as
semblies, or both of such members.
Z. The records of the General Office have
been fixed and decorated so as to rule out or
admit, as the case might be, General Assem-
bly, representatives.
s. Men have been admitted as delegates to
the General Assembly who clearly had no
constitutional rights to seats, while others
have been refused upon technicalitieS con-
trary to precedent and established custom.
In all cases the test was for or against the
ring.
orders funds have been Illegally expended
frequently against the earnest protests of
honest and law abiding members.
(B) Extravagant hotel bills contracted by
the families of general officers have been paid
out of the orders funds, as have family
laundry and bar bills.
&C. Funds have been given and loaned to
officers and their friends for their own per-
sonal use.
CD General officers, organizers, and lee
turers have not only been paid liberal salaries
and allowed heavy expenses from the general
tt easury, but have charged additional sums
to the locals and districts.
10. Honest men devoted to the cause of
labor have been made the ScapegoatS of the
laundering high officials and driven in dis
grace from the movement.
II. Efforts made Y Assemblies to better
their condition have been strangled by the
ring. II is charity to sav for no meaner
reason than In response to the clamor of the
common enemy of labor.
II. The boycott has been used to injure the
abor press, union establishments, and the
products of Knights of Labor and union
labor for the sole purpose of ''downing'
and women who could not be
used by the conspiratOrs.
Is. Persons who were not members of the
order have been provided, for personal
reasons, with lucrative positions in the
general Office.
IA. The constitution has been altered in an
illegal manner; it has been tempered with,
and measures inimical TO the interests Of the
order at large have been railroaded into what
IS called claw"
Is. War has been waged by the admins
ration ring against trades unions and trades
districts. The motto of the ring has been,
Down with trades districts; exterminate
he trades unions" This in spite of our obi
cation to extend a helping hand to all
branches of honorable TOLL
10. Nearly every important strike or lock- |
out in which the general officers interfered |
was lost.
II. As result of this laundering. wishy- |
yashy, incompetent, and stupidity arbitrary |